San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-09
The AdulteratYon Of Food.

Editor LIGHT:
The adulteratlon Of the food consumed
by the great majority of the aOple Is
extensively prosecuted by manufacture
era, some OF whom pride themselves
upon their high toned mOrali y and pom
derOus respectability in a social point Of
view. The worst feature In this bust
ness Of adulteration Of foOd-for IL Ia n
regular business is that chemicals are
freely used 10 conceal the fraud perpe-
trated, and these may render the prepa-
ration unwhOlesome to a great many
constitutions.
CocOsnut bulls are psrChed, ground
very fine and mixed with ground coffee
and black pepper. Flour and frequently
a peculiar kind of white clay are mixed
with candy. Oleomargarine Is sold for
butter, although 1t is compound OF
hogs lard, tsllow, ETC., but the law en-
acted by congress requires 1t to be
labelled as oleomargsrine, which at
least serves to RppriZe parties OF the fact
that they are not buying butter. TO this
extent the law is eminently just and
proper and may defy criticism.
From q statement made by Mr.. Phil
Armour, the pork packer OF Chicago, dur
ing his recent visit to Galveston 1t
appears that he uses one-fif'h OF all the
cotton seed oil made In the United States
in the manufacture OF lard at his estab-
lishment. MIR. Armour said In this con-
versation: "The use of cotton seed oil 10
manufactures of lard and hog products
has grown to such an extent in late
years that my establishments alone con-
sumo one-fifth Of the total cotton oil pro.
duced in the United States. Hence the
cotton seed oil is an important item to
my firm" He also stated that the
American Cotton Oil Trust company,
which now controls almost the entire
business Of making oil from cotton seed,
had entered his field as a lard producer
by the purchase of large packing house
in Chicago.
As the product OF cotton seed oil annu-
ally is about 20,000000 gallons Mr..
Armor uses about 4,00O,000 gallons In
the manufacture OF lard. In order to
even partially solidify the cotton seed
oil chemicals must necessarily
be used. All the manufacturers OF lard
also use cotton seed oil, and 1t is like
wise used In making cheese. A good
deal of Ii Is exported to Europe and
comes back to US In the shape Of sweet
Oil.
That the adulteration of the food OF
the human race, Is a fraud. admits of no
controversy. Love of gain prompts all
such authorizations. Phil. Armour is re-
puted to be worth millions, yet, by his
own confession. he adu:terates his lard
by mixing cotton seed oil with it. This
seems t. prove that men never grow
rich enough to throw of the love of
gain, or to recOil from adultering human
food.
The law should not tolerate or connive
at these frauds in palming off sdultera-
ted preparations, as genuine articles.
Even II they are harmless, they are still
frauds on the consumers, and as such,
should be branded with the disapprOyal
of the law. 1t is no wrong TO manufac-
turer to compel him 10 mark his goods
and wares so AS TO truly indicate to buy
ers the precise article they are pnrch is
ing. If consumers prefer TO use adul;era-
ted food. provided, il is not uDwhOle-
some. they should be suffered to do g.;
but, the law cannot protect and uphold
fraud OF any sOrt-least OF all, In the
adulteratiOn Of human food.
The preservation Of the health OF the
citiZen6 is one of the III st mOmentOu-
duties that is dsvolved upon the govern
ment. It fences out cholera. yellow
fever and small pOx by quarantine, and
Is entitled TO tine benedictiOns of the
people for doing so. | ask, If 1t be not
equally bound to protect the people
against the frauds practiced in sduiters-
ting food? How can the people know
that adulterated food IS WHOLESOME?
The very chemicals used may render it
wholesome, where 1t is US, for
series of years. 1t looks as though fraud
was about to permeate everything.
TnNrv